


Keith's Monsters

by Stardust_and_Blades



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Comforting Lance, Grimm AU, Hurt/Comfort, Keith mothman zine, M/M, Minor Character Death Mention, Sharpshooter Lance, Slow Burn, and hunk since i really like this au, broganes, hurt keith, pidge will make an appearance in the second part i have in mind, there may be a continuation hence the question mark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2020-01-15 03:03:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18490012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stardust_and_Blades/pseuds/Stardust_and_Blades
Summary: A Grimm AU from the Keith mothman boyfriend I am featured on! Keith is a Grimm--a hunter meant to take down dangerous Wesen. Currently in a peaceful alliance with the Wesen thanks to Allura, the peace is rocked when Sendak breaks out of prison and strives to murder all the people who sentenced him to prison. With the Reapers on the Grimm's tails to eradicate the hunters and Keith's brother and partner in the police department is being replaced by newbie Lance, Keith has a lot to juggle on his own. And he isn't one to ask for help easily. So when his brother figure is targeted by Sendak, it is no surprise he plans to go after him. But will he succeed?





	Keith's Monsters

**Author's Note:**

> Hey folks! I know I need to get the second chapter of that ghost au out, but here is something to tie you in until then. There may be a second part with Pidge and Hunk, and I highly recommend the tv show Grimm. It is a mix of fairy tales and crime tv :3 Hope you all enjoy the piece I had the privilege of creating for the zine!

“I cannot believe you are leaving my ass to become a captain.”

“Keith, I’ll be in the same building as you.”

Keith let out an annoyed sigh, toying with his knife on the kitchen table. Shiro, his adopted brother and partner in police field work, had finally received the promotion he had been eyeing for months on end. It would mean he not only calls the shots, but also gain deeper intel on the cases he and the other detectives have been working on. Maybe go back into some cold cases, which were dismissed from the previous captain. While being a captain means more responsibilities--and inevitably more stress--Shiro has been nothing but excited for the new experience in police work. He will gain a higher pay range, and, of luck is on his side, work with the Wesen sprinkled about the police force and overall town.

The Wesen had always been a difficult species to work with, what with him and Keith being the hunters of their kind for over several decades. They feared the Grimm--cower in the face of Shiro and Keith despite their good intentions, or attempt to murder them on the spot as a means to survive. They never succeeded, for the two have been equipped with several kinds of herbs, weapons, poisons, and blades able to take down or kill a Wesen. There are very few the Grimm have difficulty taking out, and their job as Grimm hunters has depleted due to Shiro’s alliance with the Queen Mellifer in the next town over. But their kind was also severely low, Keith and Shiro being the only known Grimm hunters in the state of Oregon, and possibly the United States. The chain of hierarchy among the Grimm and Wesen had become twisted over time, no longer the Grimm being the only hunters. After many decades of the Wesen being targeted by their ancestors, a new branch of Wesen called Grimm Reapers aroused, fully equipped to take down a Grimm just as the Grimm are able to murder a Wesen.

It is unknown how they emerged with such abilities and powers rivaling the Grimm, but regardless those who still survived either laid low, or attempts to form relationships among the Wesen species. Only two kinds of Wesen are willing to cooperate--the Mellifers, a human and bee hybrid, and the the bauerschwein--a human and pig hybrid. The others, more dangerous and surely grudge keeping, snarl in the face of a Grimm wishing for an alliance. To them, the Grimm deserve to be reaped from the world after centuries of witch hunts and genocides.

However, it is no longer the time of fear, and some Grimms much like Shiro, still venture into Wesen territory for negotiations. They are few in number, but Shiro held on hope there can be a time where the Wesen and Grimm can live together in harmony.

Keith, in a sense, wishes for the same thing. But has a tendency to act first and think later. While he much desires to be diplomatic like Shiro, the death of his parents keeps him held back from ever forming a healthy relationship with a Wesen.

And it certainly doesn’t help that Shiro will be assigning him a partner completely in the dark of the Grimm and Wesen world. It’s one thing to be partnered with a fellow Grimm, it is a whole other story to be paired with a human blind to the hidden cryptids lurking both in the shadows and in the light.

“You know it’s not you becoming captain that’s the problem.” Keith replies, digging the knife further into the aging wood. “I’ll be working with a human. Someone who doesn’t understand who we are and what we do. Our kind no longer exists in most places.”

Shiro stirred the vegetables and chicken stir-fry he was making for dinner, speaking as he did so but kept his attention on the food.

“It’ll be a little more difficult, but the Wesen have been keeping a low profile lately. With me discussing negotiations with Allura, they haven’t been wanting to anger her.”

“She’s a Mellifer,” Keith gripes. “She isn’t exactly at the top of the food chain. And on top of that she is in the next town over. She has no control over here.”

His brother hums, switching off the oven. “True. But she has a huge influence on the Wesen. With me as captain here and her as captain down there, we can slowly move to an age where the Wesen and Grimm aren’t as hostile.”

“There is another problem you’re forgetting.” Keith said quietly, ceased messing around with his knife. “The Reapers. Or should I say, the Veratt. They are the reason why there is so little of us.”

Shiro stopped stirring the food. He lifted his head to look outside, his brows furrowed in thought. Yes, the Veratt. A secret society of Wesen who had been labelled as Reapers by the Grimm, responsible for the mass purging of their kind and strict desire to keep a type of order among the Wesen and Grimm. If either step out of line, one of the agents are sent, wielding a sharp, heavily fortified scythe, making the actual definition of a grim reaper childs play. Keith knows this. He would like to think he is prepared to face one at any time, but he would be lying to himself. Shiro came in contact with one once.

Shiro, a master Grimm and expert at all defined as Wesen.

And he lost an arm in the battle.

“You don’t need to worry about them right now.” Shiro states, resuming his cooking and turning off the stove. He asks Keith to grab the plates, the boy groaning in response, but doing it anyway. Sometimes Shiro wonders if he really is an adult. Or just a very tall kid.

“It is my job to worry. I had to save your ass several times.” Keith says as Shiro plops the chicken stir-fry on his and Adam’s plate.

Shiro points the wooden spoon in his direction. “And I’ve also saved your reckless ass. Don’t think you are the only one doing the saving, Mr. ‘I’m going to throw myself in front of a ravenous blutbat.”

Keith pouts, not appreciating the mention of his second time on the field as an official Grimm. “Whatever. Where is Adam?”

As soon as the question left his lips, the jingle of keys is heard by the door. Adam came rushing in, explaining how his meeting ran late and hoping he didn’t miss dinner.

Shiro just greets him with a smile and a plate, the two exchanging words with a single glance.

Keith flicks a piece of a carrot at Shiro’s head so he didn’t have to suffer the gaze of love from the two.

\------------------------------

Lance is late.

Of course he is, why else would a newbie come into the field on time when valuable seconds were being lost to an intense case as the one Shiro brought over. Shiro refused to go into detail until he arrived, so Keith is currently grumbling at his table, stabbing a pen into a pile of sticky notes. It clicks away at his patience, the in and out of the ballpoint leaving deep dots into the yellow paper.

The case sounded urgent. Like it had to be taken care of now. Shiro’s first day as captain, and there is already a major case to be explored. Where the Hell is his new partner?

Just then, in a flurry of green denim and wet brown hair, a tall, somewhat lanky man with a badge haphazardly slapped on the front of his jacket upside down, stumbles through the doors of the station. Several officers move away to avoid him, wishing not to drop their large piles of documents, or spill coffee all over their clean cut button ups. The man paid them no mind and ran into Shiro’s office, giving Keith no doubt at who he is.

Keith watches as he waves his hands in the air at Shiro, panic over the possibility of getting yelled at. Or worse, debadged for a tardiness that could cost them the case. Which, by Keith’s knowledge, is quite rare and would not happen unless the situation was extremely diar. He may not be aware of the case they are going to be on, but he knows Shiro. If it were one of those situations, Keith would have been able to read it a mile away.

It isn’t long before Shiro guides Lance to where Keith sat, attempting to mask his silent disapproval.

Shiro motions to him. “Keith, this is Lance McClain. He was part of Allura’s unit in the next town over. He will be your new partner and helping you with the case I have.” He lays a beige folder on the desk, Keith paying it no mind as he stares at Lance. He searches for any sign of Wesen marks; sharp pinchers of a Mellifer, wide red eyes of a Blutbad, the hanging of torn skin and exposed teeth and gums of a Zauberbiest. But all Keith receives is a nervous laugh and the scratching of the back of his head.   
He is cute, despite his lack of punctuality. But that won’t distract him from larger matters.

Shiro gave him a look pushing him to be warm to Lance, his eyes threatening to make him mow the lawn for a month. Keith pushes aside his inner resentment at being put with a different partner and raises a hand at Lance, not bothering to move from his chair.

“I’m Keith. Shiro’s brother.”

“I’ve heard of you,” Lance says, grasping Keith’s palm with a lopsided smile. It was warm, and his expression friendly. Keith doesn’t know why, but butterflies flitters about in his belly. “Allura mentioned how you and Shiro tracked down that serial killer targeting young men.”

Ah. The spider Wesen. One of the more tricky creatures to find. They, unlike humans the usual Wesen, age extremely fast if they do not consume the innards of young men or women. Depending on the sexuality of the creature. The one Lance is referring to was a female; killing a total of three men to continue her normal aging. Unfortunately, her husband gave a little too much information to the team, and they managed to stop her mid-hunt with an incredibly young, wealthy, and slight cocky heir. It was a bit of a tough case--the information on her species was discovered by one of her very own, who by human years is 26, but physically looks to be 70 due to her vow never to take another life.

Shiro and Keith were torn on whether she should have been able to complete the cycle so she could be there for her teen daughter. But, as Grimms and officers of the law, they couldn’t let her slip between their fingers. No matter how much it hurt to cuff a morose and regretful perpetrator and victim.

Shiro told him she never chose her species. Just like how Keith never chose to be himself. They are simply who they are.

“Er, yeah,” Keith says, shy. “Shiro is the real hero. He figured out her location.”

Shiro chuckles, shaking his head. “He is being modest. He was a ninja on that small ship and got her tied in a rope net for fishing. He didn’t even have to use his gun.”

“Really?” A mischievous twinkle lights his blue eyes. “Looks like you’ll be my rival, then. I have some pretty cool crackdowns back where I come from. Allura might have mentioned them.”

Keith cocks an eyebrow. “Uh, not from what I’ve heard.”

Lance squawks. “What do you mean you haven’t heard? I was on the news!”

“W-Oooooh, now I remember. You were the guy who busted that corrupted politician.”

“Yes, and Allura was very impressed by it.” Lance states hotly, huffing at Keith’s inability to remember someone as important as himself.

Keith internally rolls his eyes. This guy has an ego for sure. He couldn’t decide if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

Shiro clears his throat, interrupting any chance for a rebuttal. “Anyway, you two need to get going. The crime scene will be cleaned up by the time you finish your...introductions.”

“Right,” Keith takes the folder and flips it open, his eyes widening at the given address and potential perpetrator. Without a second thought, he got up and heads towards their cruiser, Lance gathering his things in a hurry and flat tiring his heels.

“Woah, slow down. The crime isn’t going anywhere.”

“As far as you know.” Keith responds, ignoring Lance’s questioning glance as they settle in the car, Keith the driver for once. He knew the location well. Meaning the butterflies in his stomach morphs into a blacken dread.

\---------------------------------------------

“We found him like this, gavel lodged deep in his throat.” The officer fills in, guiding them to the scene of the crime.

“Talk about deep throating in another level.” Lance whispers to Keith, who elbows him in response. He bit down on a laugh, staying aware of the situation at hand and examining every aspect of the extravagant house they were led through. Lance bends down from the assault, glaring daggers at Keith.

“What the heck?!”

“Listen and look around.” Keith responds, keeping his eyes on the interior. “There may be clues unseen to the rest. We aren’t here to have fun.”

“Killjoy.” Grumbles Lance.

The walls are adorned with beautiful paintings; those with the status of Vangh Goh and small local artists, their names etched at a corner of the sceneries. Most were of nature; the Oregon woods lining the majority of the state. They were encased in smooth wood, etch with intricate designs  of leaves, swirls, flowers; careful and gentle hands carving out a permanent home. It all seems so normal. The hallway undisturbed, clean of any bloody fingerprints and broken nails scattered across the floor. It isn’t until they entered Judge Ulaz’s study, a mahogany desk set in the middle of the room and surrounded by full bookcases. It is there that the cleanliness stops, the floor stained crimson and shattered glass from a broken lamp. The desk is a mess with papers, books, and bloodied bulbs, a body lying face up with a gavel jutting from the confines of his mouth. Or at least, the handle of it. Judging by the appearance, the victim either suffocated from the object, or suffered from the terrible blows on the head. Bruising rim his eyes and skull, large welts covering the majority of his face. The office shows signs of struggle, a gun laying by Judge Ulaz’s hand. His eyes stared up at the ceiling, unseeing and glassy.

Keith approaches the body, squatting down to grab the gun with a cloth. He opens it and scans the bullet insertion, three missing from the cartridge.

“Three bullets are missing and there is gun powder residue.” He says, putting it in a bag for the evidence room. “Judge Ulaz didn’t go down without a fight.”

“Any idea who could have come for him like this?” Lance asks one of the officers.

“Well, he was a judge.” the officer states. “Sent many people to prison. Bound to spark some sense of animosity.”

“Such a shame.” Lance says, attempting to mask his disgust as he retracted the gavel from the victim’s throat to put inside an evidence bag. “He was a good judge. Made sure a lot of bad people didn’t get off easy.”

“Bad people do not take kindly to being caught.” The officer mutters as he wrote down some notes on his pad.

Keith continues to stare at the body, narrowing his eyes. “Any blood or fingerprints?”

“Yes, but it all belongs to Judge Ulaz. As for fingerprints, we haven’t found any yet.”

“What about family? Any witnesses to the crime or family that can point in the way of the perpetrator?”

“Nope, Judge was an unmarried man. His family passed away couple years ago in a car accident. The neighbors aren’t talking either. Says they didn’t hear anything around the time of the invasion and time of death.”

Keith pinches the bridge of his nose. Fantastic. No leads, no fingerprints, no signs of a specific murderer. He taps his chin, walking around the crime scene in thought. A murdered judge, a carefully made plan. No cameras in sight, and any chance of this being an open and close case is cast out the window.

Unless...

“Have any convicts recently escaped prison?” He bends down across from Lance, trying to see anything he could have missed.

The officer, not expecting said question, blinks and stutters out a reply. “U-um...I don’t think so.”

“You don’t THINK?” Keith rips off his gloves, all evidence cleared and done with touching the body and his patience. “Or do you KNOW?”

Lance pokes him in the leg, blue eyes twisted into a scowl. “Hey, hothead. Chill out for a moment and give the guy a break. He probably worked a long shift.”

Keith lets out a slow breath, getting a hold on his temper. Lance isn’t his friend, but he has a point. The officer is just doing his job. He isn’t a detective like him and Lance. He is a man trying his best. A human blind to evils, but not blind to murder.

“Sorry. Long day.”

He approaches the evidence pile and snatches the gun again, surveying its contents. “Send out an APB to all the hospitals and clinics nearby. The gun is missing three bullets. Two lodged into the walls, the other missing. Most likely to have hit the perpetrator.”

“And if he got shot, he would need medical attention as soon as possible.” Lance finishes, standing besides Keith to take a look at a gun. “Sharp eye, hothead.”

“Thanks.” He motions for the remaining officers to complete their work, piling the evidence into a bin and taking all the necessary pictures of the body and room. Judge Ulaz’s body is sent to the morgue for an autopsy, hopefully beholding some evidence neither the officers nor Lance and Keith could capture with immediate sight.

“Lets head back to the precinct. We have a lot of homework to do.”

“Checking out Judge Ulaz’s case files, I’m guessing.” Lance says.

“You’re fast.” Keith comments, allowing himself to give a ghost of a smile at his new colleague. “Now lets see if you can keep up.”

Lance grins, confident. “Lead the way, hotshot.”

\--------------------------------------

It isn’t long before they are stopped in their tracks at the precinct, Shiro stating their investigation will have to wait for a moment longer. Another murder took place, one not far from the precinct. This time, however, Shiro accompanied them, wishing to survey the same night murder himself. He has full confidence in Lance and Keith, but after hearing it was Judge Ulaz who was the victim, something began to itch away at Shiro’s intuition. This murder is of no shock to him. If his hunch is right, he and Keith will be able to spot a specific connection.

As they arrive on scene, Shiro’s suspicions are confirmed. Attorney Thace, a long standing lawyer who, like Ulaz, locked away many of the psychopathic criminals that unfortunately reigned in their city. He was a previous assistant DA, retired from the position about  year ago and taking a step back from the crime life. Little did he know the criminals were not finished with him yet.

Lance, Keith, and Shiro arrive on scene to Thace’s tongue cut out, lying on a scale atop of his desk. He sat there, dry blood coating his neck and around his mouth, most likely to have died from blood loss. His eyes are closed, no sign of any other harm wreaked upon his limp and cold body. His tongue, however, taunted them. Taunted Shiro. It weighed to the right, Shiro not having to look over evidence to know who the killer is.

“Holy shit,” Lance says. “Why do I get the feeling the killer is the same as Ulaz?”

“I’m getting that feeling too. But we aren’t sure. We will have to look into Thace’s history with released or escaped criminals. There is a possibility it isn’t the same person though.”

Keith snatches some gloves and gingerly, without so much as turning his lips down in disgust, takes the tongue and places it in the evidence bag after a picture was taken.

“Dude, I don’t get how you can handle touching that.”

“What, and a gavel shoved into a judge’s throat isn’t bad?”

“A body part wasn’t ripped out.” Lance huffs.

“You’re going to see plenty of those.” Keith warns, a slight, amused smile on his face as he wrote down the details of the body and tongue on his pad of paper.

“I was hoping to see body parts connected and pleasured, not disconnected and bloody.” Lance says coyly.

Keith, processing the innuendo, blushes and keeps his eyes on the paper. He did not want to dignify Lance with a response.

Shiro, of course, is witnessing this entire exchange. While he normally would be happy the two are getting along--in a sense--and teasing Keith, he could not be distracted from the real problem at hand.

“I know who did this.” Shiro says, eyeing the tongue on the justice weight.

Keith’s eyebrows shot up, his writing to have ceased. Lance stared back at his new captain, equally as perplexed as his partner.

“But we haven’t really looked into it--”

“Trust me.” Shiro grinds out. “I know who would have targeted these two men. Something tells me when we look into potential escapees and angered family members, the answer will be the same.”

“Who? Who could it be, Shiro?” Keith asks, concerned. He has never seen Shiro this distressed before. Muscles taught, eyes shifty, and beads of sweat dotting the sides of his head. Shiro never acted like this with any previous cases. Not when they were partners. Not even when he knew the answer based on common knowledge or research. He was always cool; collected. Used to the field that requires a strong stomach and emotional endurance. Right now, Shiro is acting as if he just witnessed the murder itself. As if he were looking in on the past, unable to save an innocent from a crazed being.

“Shiro?”

Shiro pauses, then very quietly, spoke the name burning his very own tongue. “Sendak. It has to be. He is the only one to have a connection with both the victims and...”

“And?” Lance says, Keith already knowing what he is about to say and remains frozen in his place.

“And me.” Shiro’s gaze flickers up to Keith. “I was the one who arrested him.”

“Jesus Christ,” Lance pulls at his hair, pacing back and forth. Keith remains stuck to the floor, staring at it as if under a spell. “That isn’t good. If he is coming after those who wronged him, as we have seen, then you’re up next. Or at least close. What the heck did you bust him for?”

Shiro opens and closes his mouth. He isn’t sure if he should say. Technically he must inform Lance. Inform any officer or detective on the job in order to further leads and find the exact criminal responsible for the murders. But this? This is different. This is on a personal level. Shiro is not sure if, despite Lance’s good nature attitude and arrival to the team, if he should be informed and Shiro should take over from here on.

“He killed a couple.” Keith says quietly behind Lance, eyes never leaving the floor. “A double homicide. He was accused of fraud several years prior by the wife, claiming she was going to report him. He didn’t like that.”

Shiro passes Lance, laying a hand on Keith’s shoulder. “Keith, you don’t have to.”

Keith, weighing Shiro’s words, shakes his head and grabs his keys, allowing the rest of the team to clear out the crime scene and gather whatever miscellaneous items they can deem as evidence. Years later he still can’t say the words. What he can do though, is look into more detail of Sendak. Check out if there are any other potential victims on his list who he would prioritize over Shiro. It will be a long search, but he isn’t leaving this case until he can zero in on his next target and location.

“Hey, wait up!” Lance calls after him, running past several officers and dodging Shiro’s outstretched hand.

Keith debates on locking the door and driving away, not wishing for Lance, a human, to get involved. This is Grimm issue. Not a police department issue. If Lance follows his lead in tracking down Sendak, he could end up severely hurt, if not killed. Siegebarste’s are incredibly hard to kill. Their bones were highly dense, their skin practically bullet proof. Trying to stab one is like stabbing a concrete wall. He isn’t some big guy who can be taken down by a flurry of bullets or even a grenade. He is a serial killer holding a deep grudge for those who caught his hand in the cookie jar. Keith cannot risk being distracted by protecting Lance and himself. Possibly including Shiro.

But as he glances up at those open blue eyes, swimming with worry and confusion, a piece of him hesitates on flipping the switch. Keith isn’t used to new people. Doesn’t know how to connect with them. But with Lance, he gets a feeling like he cannot directly shun him. And with Keith and Shiro having to maintain their secret identity of being Grimms, might as well let him open the door and believe he is part of a search he is not actually going to participate in. Keith will have to talk to Shiro about it.

If Shiro so much as entertains the idea of Keith tracking down the Wesen.

Lance knocks on the window, prompting Keith to flip the switch on the lock button. Lance eases himself in, quiet and no sense of underlying teasing on his face.

“You know the murderer.” He says, blunt. He kept his attention to the road, as did Keith as he twisted the keys in the ignition. The tires squeals behind them, leaving a trail of dark tracks in their wake and cutting off an oncoming car. Lance, who Keith guesses one to backseat drive comment, did not utter a peep.

“Put your seatbelt on.” Is all Keith says. He did, and they quietly made their way to the precinct.

Once there, Keith quickly made his way to the criminal files and database, piling a stack of papers on his desk and wracking through them in haste. He types vigorously on the keyboard, senses cancelling out the noise of phones ringing and coffee brewing for the poor suckers on the night shift.

Lance reaches out for a file to investigate, but Keith slaps his hand on the files, not looking up from the computer as he typed with one hand.

“Dude, I want to help.”

“I got this one.” Keith absently answers, attention too far invested in what he is doing.

“I’m your partner. Can’t I at least take a look?” He reaches for the folders again. Before Keith could stop him, Shiro taps Lance’s shoulder, distracting him from his desire to help. He motions for Lance to follow him to his office. Seeing how Shiro is his boss, he is unable to deny the kind but firm captain. Shiro motions for him to lead the way to his office, allowing him to send a look to Keith.

Keith can’t work alone the rest of his career. It isn’t fair to the others or to Lance. He is trying his best just like everyone else. Shiro made this message very clear with the tilt of his head and the well known “dad stare”.

But for now, Shiro will send Lance on another project. One separate from the Sendak case.

Keith wishes he could apologize. But it will have to wait. He has a Wesen to hunt.

\---------------------------------------------------

“Keith, I am not letting you go out there--”

“You’re not the boss of me, Shiro.”

“Yes I am, and I am ordering you to stand down.”

Keith whirls around to face Shiro, his packing of several bullets coated in Siegbarste Gift and a large, hand crafted elephant gun. It is night, a perfect time to go hunting. And if Keith’s guesses are correct, he will be coming around the neighborhood. He has just got to find him at the right time. He is glad Adam is working late tonight. While he is aware of their...Grimm status, Keith does not believe he would take the news lightly of his boyfriend being at risk of a highly powerful and nearly unkillable Wesen tracking them down.

“Sendak is closing in on you. On Adam and I. You saw what he did to Ulaz and Thace, he isn’t going to stop until all those who had a hand in his imprisonment are dead.”

“I know, but you aren’t going out there. Especially not alone when you haven’t faced a Siegbarste at all in your lifetime.”

“I read the books, I know the tools, I have fought countless of Wesen. I’m going.” He moves to pass Shiro to the door, but Shiro jumps in his line of sight again.

“I said no.”

Keith threw down his bag of supplies. “He took your arm, Shiro! He nearly killed you last time defending my already dead parents! I’ll be damned if he takes another person away from me.”

“And I shouldn’t have to lose a piece of my family either!” Shiro counters, yanking the bag off the ground and chucking it at the couch. “I know Sendak is looking for me. But he hasn’t appeared yet, giving us time to arm ourselves. We are doing this together, but not tonight. Not when we do not know where he is and you could put yourself at risk.”

Keith clenches his fists, glaring daggers at his older brother. He wonders if he could overtake him and make it out the door, but Shiro is a more skilled hunter than he. Shiro may not have a human arm anymore, but his prosthetic doesn’t inhibit him in the slightest. Knowing him he would smack Keith to the floor and restrict him like the evil brother he can be.

Still, why can’t he just let him handle this case on his own terms? This has to do not just with Shiro, but his parents. The people who cared for him until the tender age of 12 years old, stripping him of any chance to bond with them further and be given their own wisdom. Sendak took his parents away from him. This goes beyond right and wrong; this is personal, and Keith deserves a chance to take down the murderer who almost landed him in the system. Plus it wasn’t only his parents that suffered. It was several families, murdered for so much as angering the Siegebarste bastard.

The world may be low on Grimm hunters, but they aren’t extinct yet. Not while Keith is breathing.

“I can do this on my own. Stop coddling me.”

“I’m not coddling you. I’m reasoning with you. If you go out there, there is a chance you won’t return.”

Keith throws out his hands, his red hoodie and jeans splayed out. “So let him kill me! At least I would have tried.”

“I do not need that on my conscience, Keith!” Shiro yells. Keith jumps, not used to Shiro raising his voice above an indoor voice. “I promised your parents I would protect you in any way I can. That includes preventing you from going against a Wesen that has killed not two, but several Grimm hunters in his time.”

“Do not talk about my parents. EVER.” Keith jabs a finger against Shiro’s chest, venom bleeding into his tone. He shoves past Shiro, yanking the duffle bag and flinging it over his shoulder. He began to head towards the door, but his arms and waist is encircle by cold plastic and a muscular arm. He is lifted in the air, kicking his legs to throw the perpetrator off balance.

“Let me go Shiro! Fucking let me go, you asshole!”

“No! I told you you’re not going out there.”

Keith whips his head backwards, hitting Shiro hard in the nose. He lets out a grunt and releases Keith, blood spewing from his nose. Keith made a run for the door, the bag weighing him down but not diffusing his confidence in escaping. If he could get to his car and drive away, Shiro wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. He wouldn’t be able to follow him. Adam has the second car, and even if Adam were to come home in time Shiro would be unaware of the location Keith is planning to visit.

“Keith! Godamnit, Keith!” Shiro calls. He ran to him, dodging the furniture lining both his and Keith’s way to the door. Curse their clutter furnishing.

Keith reaches the door, pulling the door handle with such a hard pull he thought it was going to break off the hinges. Shiro is practically on his heels. As a way to stall, he knocks down the small table set beside the door to place keys, taking his and knocking over a vase filled with flowers. Once he was outside he flung an outside chair also in his path, hearing a curse and a thud as Shiro trips over the second obstacle.

Thankfully for Keith, he is able to put his finger on the unlock button without his adrenaline getting in the way. He threw himself into the car, the bag making a harsh tumble on the passenger seat. Keith had the door closed and locked by the time Shiro got to him, turning the key and backing up fast. His tires squeal against the pavement, the last shot of Shiro Keith saw was of utter devastation and frustration with himself.

A pit of guilt dug its way in Keith’s stomach. He didn’t want to hurt Shiro. Not physically or emotionally. But he knew what he had to do and Shiro refuses to accept that. He sees him too much as a child and not enough as a skilled adult.

It is this reason that pushes away the burning sensation in his eyes.

\----------------------------------------------

There was one other victim that could be above Shiro. Second to last; the appetizer before the full meal. Shiro had gone to him in the past seeking advice on the Sendak case, worried he would be found not guilty and prevent the surviving families from gaining true closure. He was the captain before Shiro. The leading man who had a fantastic task force of detective and cops on his side, careful to eliminate those corrupted by power. He knew Sendak was guilty, so he had no problem telling Shiro what to do, despite the ambiguous stance.

Kolivan. A man who has retired so he can let Shiro lead. The man who is up next in the list of revenge. Sendak knew a younger Shiro would be conflicted on the matter. So he needed a slight push. That push is what landed him in the slammer. That push will be the last thing on Kolivan’s mind as Sendak wreaks havoc.

Keith parks little ways away from the house, the brisk night air cool from oncoming winter and neighbor’s lights off for the night. Everyone should be in bed, sleeping soundly and be unaware to the potential murder about to happen if Keith doesn’t hurry.

He stations himself at the side of the house, making sure his body is concealed by the shrubbery and unable to be seen by neighbors. Luckily for Keith, the left side of Kolivan’s house had a neighbor with no window on the side where Keith hid, dwindling his chances of being caught and questioned.

He waits to hear sound. To see a figure sneak into the house. For a brief moment, Keith believes he was wrong in his assumptions and Sendak actually went to find Shiro, sparking a panic in Keith’s chest. But as Keith looks into the house, he sees a very tall, wide figure head towards the stairs. He squints, trying to get a good look at the person and can 100% say it is Sendak or not. He doesn’t want to shoot Kolivan by accident.

Deciding to say fuck it to the sleuthing, he rounds back where the perpetrator entered, the back door opening as Keith carefully twists the handle. He kept the elephant gun at his side, ready to shoot on sight at any moment given in time.

Thankful for the new renovations of the house, he does not have to worry about loose floorboards giving him away. He rounds the corner to the stairs, placing a hesitant foot on the wood. They may not be ancient but stairs have a history of making the worst noise. No matter the age. For all Keith could know, one could be jutting out right now, leaving room for Keith to give his location away.

His focus on keeping quiet was cut short as he hears a struggle above, the sound of a body hitting the far wall and a cry. Keith rallies up the steps two at a time, entering the door frame of Kolivan’s bedroom.

Kolivan is on the floor, cradling a broken arm and bleeding from the side of his head. Sendak stood above him, facing away from Keith and giving him the perfect advantage. Keith raises his gun, aiming straight for the head. A kill shot. Easy as pie.

He breathes in, puts his finger on the trigger and--

Before he could so much as blink, Sendak is right in front of him, his face morphing into a purple-ish hue, ears pointed and face turned down in a scowl. His face grew more square, his eyes smaller but fueled with unending fire. Keith tries to get a shot out, but misses as he smacks the gun away and pushes his body over the railing to the first floor.

“I see a Grimm figured out my next target,” Sendak comments, disgust evident in his tone. He walks down the stairs in ease, Keith gasping from the impact.  “One would think the dying of the Grimm would spark a more wise plan. Then again, you have been nothing but filth upon our boots.”

Pain spikes up Keith’s spine, his limbs heavy and refusing to move fast enough. It wasn’t that far of a fall, but with a Siegebarste’s strength, he might as well have been thrown out a ten story building.

He grabs for the gun that had fallen from his grasp, turning on his belly and ignoring the overwhelming stab in his back. He hopes it is only bruised rather than irreversibly fucked up. He grabs it, but is unable to use it as Sendak had an axe coming straight for his head. Keith rolls to the side, the splitting of wood piercing his ears as he works to get back up on his feet. He is mid crouch before Sendak throws another swing at him, this time ducking and rolling to the opposite side of Sendak. He points and shoots, but misses by an inch due to Sendak predicting his next move.

“Son of a bitch.” Keith books it to the front door, trying to place some distance between him and the Wesen. But he is fast. Faster than Keith thought he was, for he plucks Keith by a shoulder and sends him flying to the dining room. He slams into a glass vase, thankful to be wearing some protection. Though as he slid to the ground, a shard nics his cheek.

He doesn’t take time to process the pain. He reloads the elephant gun, only having a few more bullet left. He had to make at least one of them count.

Sendak shoves the table aside and goes to snatch Keith until he notices the gun. He takes a chair and throws it at him instead, the bullet impaling wood rather than skin. Keith didn’t have time to dodge before Sendak had him in his clutches, large, ogre like fingers wrapping around his neck and lifting him from the ground. Keith makes to still use the gun, fumbling to point it at his chest and pull the trigger as Sendak’s hand constricts his throat. It is slow, painful. Sendak wants him to feel every ounce of pain possible. He does not believe in mercy, especially for the boy who is brothers will his arrester. He wants Keith and Shiro to suffer long, a second feeling like an hour. To sense the end upon their shoulders, much like how Sendak felt when he was sentenced to five hundred years in prison.

Oxygen began to leave Keith’s brain and he lost the ability to move, his body painstakingly sluggish. Right when he was about to shoot him in the stomach, Sendak easily rips the elephant gun away, throwing it on the ground. Keith weakly kicks and claws at his hand, but his movement eventually deteriorating into stillness. He thought he had Sendak. He was sure he could take him down with no complications. Yet here he is, gradually losing consciousness and possibly entering death. He should have listened to Shiro. Or brought him along as backup. Or he should have just alerted Kolivan of him being under threat and place him under the protection program.

He should have done a lot of things. He hopes Shiro knows Keith did it out of love for his brother. He wishes he could tell him he is sorry.

As Keith is about to close his eyes and let darkness take him, he hears the sound of a gunshot, Sendak grunting and releasing Keith from his grip. Keith tumbles to the ground, coughing and breathing in the stale air as if it were water. His bliss is short lived, for as he divulges his attention to the source of the interruption his eyes widen, saucers of indigo and shadows looking up in horror at the new source of conflict. And a new source of rage.

Lance stood in front of Sendak, his gun cocked up to Sendak, eyes wide in terror as he realizes it had no effect on him. Why would it? He isn’t human. But Lance doesn’t know that. Lance is a human thinking he is taking down a human criminal. Keith doesn’t know how he got here, how he tracked where Sendak and Keith are, but keith had to think fast. Or else he won’t have a partner to yell at after.  
As for Lance, he had not fully processed Sendak’s size until he is front and center, staring down at the new detective in contempt. Out of fear and wish to take down the criminal he fires another round point blank at his chest. Sendak, not at all amused to being interrupted, flicks the flatten piece of metal off his chest and grabs Lance’s wrists, twisting them until he let out a cry and releases the gun.

“Too bad for you, detective. You could have lived a longer life if you kept your nose out of the case.” Sendak mocks, raising his next hand to strike. Lance fought against his grip, but it is too strong. He closes his eyes, waiting for the hit to end him once and for all.

Instead, a high pitched howl bursts out of Sendak’s lips, releasing Lance and a hand diving to his side. He continues to scream, agony destroying the silence as his body ran away from the source, knocking over a tall case filled with china. He stumbles to the other side of the room, breaking the miniature table holding glasses of wine and staining the floor red. Keith had the gun pointed at Sendak, a small bout of smoke exiting the hole where the bullet emerged. He is breathing hard, but relieved to have made his mark. Not fully, since he only grazed Sendak’s side, but was able to stun him into releasing Lance.

Sendak let out a roar, and before Keith could get out the last round he ran out of the house, leaving the two detectives surrounded by broken wood and shattered glass.

“What the hell is going on?” Lance demands, knowing the perpetrator is long gone. “I fired two rounds into that guy’s chest and he wasn’t affected at all.”

Keith doesn’t answer. He attempts to stand up, using the gun as a staff. It is fruitless, for his knees buckle under him and the dark spots dotting his vision came into full force. His body lead, his neck bruised, and his head pounding, Keith gives in to the darkness, the last thing he sense is two arms catching him mid fall.

\------------------------------------------------

“This kid is going to be the death of me.”

“Takashi, I know you’re upset--”

“I’m more than upset. He could have gotten himself killed!”

“I know, but don’t be hard on him right now. He needs rest. Stress will only worsen it.”

“Adam--”

“Am I wrong?” The other male challenged, narrowing his eyes at Shiro. They are in Keith’s room, Lance sitting on one side of Keith’s bed and the two men near the door, Adam frowning at his fiance. Lance had arrived at their place not too long ago, carrying an unconscious, bruised, bleeding Keith in his arms. Distressed, he immediately went to Shiro, debating on taking him to the hospital but not sure of what story to tell the staff if they asked what had happened. Shiro was quick to answer the door and lead Lance to the boy’s room, rock and metal posters decorating the walls and the red bedspread being pulled back for Lance to set him down. Lance continues to fuss over Keith, checking for anything vital that could affect Keith’s recovery. Allura was right--though he plays a big game of talk, he is all heart.

Adam folds his arms, fixing Shiro with a stern gaze. “We will talk to him about his impulses tomorrow. Now, just be a brother to him.”

Shiro sighs, sagging and pinching the bridge of his nose, stressed. “I know, I know. I just...Sendak killed two people already. Even I’m not fit yet to face him.”

Adam extends a comforting hand to Shiro’s, squeezing and his hard eyes softening. “He will be okay. From what it looks like he just has a concussion and bruising to the ribs. He fought hard, things could have ended up much worse.”

“I suppose.”

“Sorry to interrupt,” Lance interjects, his brow creased into a grimace. “But what is going on? Why did Keith go off alone? And why didn’t my bullets work on Sendak? He is a big buy, but not immune to me firing a bullet in his heart.”

Shiro’s eyes widen and Adam takes a step back, allowing Shiro to handle the matter. “You shot Sendak?”

“Yeah, I got suspicious when you sent me on another case, so I was coming over to have a talk with Keith. Little did I know I would drive up to see him driving away and you screaming for him to stop. I followed him until he snuck into Judge Kolivan’s house. When a gunshot went off, that’s when I rushed in to help.”

“A gun--Jesus Christ.”

“More than one, technically.”

That did not comfort Shiro in the slightest. He can feel his blood pressure rising to dangerous heights.

“Seriously, what was wrong with Sendak?” Lance pushes. “Was he experimented on or something? He sure as hell didn’t act human. Not until Keith grazed him with the use of an elephant gun.”

“I--that’s--” Shiro stumbles. Should he inform Lance? He already saw so much. He can rationalize that Sendak had a bulletproof vest underneath, hence the protection against Lance’s bullets. But how can he explain his immense strength? The bullet aimed at his heart? Bulletproof vests are not completely impenetrable. They do have a limit. On top of that, he cannot think of a logical lie as to why Keith used a rare elephant gun. Human are strictly kept out of the Wesen and Grimm world for the purpose of their safety. But after tonight, can he really believe Lance would be safer in the dark? Keith and him are Grimm hunters. They are using their skills in the field all the time. If they keep this a secret, he may find out the hard way--the lethal way.

Shiro opens his mouth, but as he did Keith twitches, his face scrunching up and a groan leaving his lips. He cracks open his eyes, attempting to sit up but hissing at the effort and pain blooming on his chest. His ribs weren’t broken but they took a beating. And his arms sting, the glass not completely missing Keith afterall. His spine was also hurt, it creaking with a sharp jab from the falls and being thrown around like a rag doll. There was not one piece of him unscathed, not even his neck, an angry circlet encasing his throat.

Shiro hurries over to Keith’s side while Lance scoots closer, worry etched in his face despite them knowing each other for a short amount of time.

“Where am I...?” Keith asks groggily, the room spinning as he tried to get up again. Lance and Shiro pushes him down gently, fully aware of the whiplash and confusion he is facing.

“Easy man,” Lance coaxes. “You got pretty banged up. You’re in your room.”

“Thanks to Lance,” Shiro adds. “He brought you home as soon as you collapsed.”

“I...what!?” Keith sprung up, howling as the pain coursed through his back and ribs in a fiery trail. Lances pushes him down, wiping the budding sweat from his forehead.

“Hey, hey! It’s okay, he’s gone. You’re safe.”

“No, you don’t get it. Sendak, he’s still out there. I missed. I need to go back--” He attempts to fight against the pain, but is held down by Shiro.

“You’re not going anywhere in that position.” He declares. “Even if you were to go after him, you wouldn’t find him in the same spot. Lance says you got him in the side, meaning he will need to lay low for the time being due to the injury you inflicted.

“But--”

“Keith,” Lance says. “You need to heal. You’re going to get more messed up if you go out there now. And Shiro has a point, you don’t know where he is.”

Keith looks ready to argue more, but with his body screaming against the actions, his body slumps into the soft cushion of his pillows and bedding. He is tired. Double lines made a home underneath his dark circles, his hair sweaty and still holding pieces of glass and blood.

“Restt,” Shiro quietly says, combing his hand through his locks without glass shards. “I’ll be back with some painkillers. You’re not messed up enough for the hospital, and it would be good to keep this under wraps. And Lance?”

“Yeah?”

“Keith will fill you in when he has rested.”

“Fill him in on what?” Keith questions.

Shiro motions to himself and Keith, staring him down until he understood what he meant. Keith bristles, but doesn’t push the subject. Now definitely isn’t the time. Lance can deal with being in the dark a little longer. Shiro and Lance were more concerned about helping Keith get back on his feet. Sendak may be hiding, but eventually he will return. He always returns for vengeance.

As Shiro is gone, Lance dips a rag into a small bowl of cold water, wringing it out of excess water and gently cleaning Keith’s wounds. His hands were scraped, his arms red with irritation, and his cheeks nicked from the glass and falls. His eyes are closed, his breathing shaky but clear. He is so tired. He took a beating--a failed one. If only he was more careful, maybe then he would have taken down Sendak properly.

“You okay?” Lance asks, patting the rag on the side of his face. Keith cracks an eye at him, his fire gone and consumed by exhaustion. And a little bit of softness. Though he haven’t known each other long, Keith is happy Lance came out unscathed. Keith would take a beating over and over as long as the innocents he protects remain unharmed. Lance is a little out there, but he can’t help but feel a connection. He can’t quite describe it, but then again he can’t quite think straight with the headache stabbing his brain.

“I’ll live.” He says.

“You were lucky. I thought you were dead for a good moment.”

“Mmm...”

“Hey,” Lance pokes his cheek, rousing him from the sleep he wants. “No sleeping. I know it’s late, but you have a concussion.”

“Ugh,” Keith blinks some of the sleep away, but it never fully left. “I don’t think that’s a thing anymore.”

“Well, better safe than sorry.” He reaches over and removes the remaining glass from his hair. “Never knew I would save the infamous Keith Kogane.”

“Technically I saved you.”

“Only cause he caught me off guard.”

“Whatever.” Keith, despite his tone, has a ghost of a smile. “You did good though. For a human.”

“Wow, a compliment. I am flattered.”

“Don’t let it go to your head, sharpshooter...” He trails off, falling into a light sleep. Lance dips the rag again in water and settles it on his head, his gaze never leaving his peaceful partner. Through all the thorns and bristles, Keith actually is...kinda cute. And sweet when sleepy. Lance thought he wouldn’t be able to deal with him, but after seeing him fight and be thrashed around, as well as on his bed with minor wounds, he can see he has a fierce love and protection for humanity. Something tells him his partner isn’t temporary.

Something tells him his new partner is going to be his friend. Maybe more. He will see how things go.

Shiro comes back and gives keith some painkillers, rousing him from his sleep momentarily before he succumbs to the darkness for the rest of the night. Shiro offered Lance a place in the guest room, stating how it was late and he should get some rest. Lance goes along with it, requesting he keeps an eye on Keith to make sure nothing goes wrong with his concussion. Though Shiro slightly argues with him on needing sleep, he obliges, Lance pointing out how Shiro has been ravaged with worry and needs just as much self care.

Shiro retires to his room, and Lance remains by Keith’s side. When he was sure nothing will happen to Keith in his sleep, he fell asleep, head nestled on his arms and Keith’s clean comforters.

It was a long night. But in the end, no one was hurt. All was well.

**Author's Note:**

> There will be a second part. Hope you all look forward to it :3 Please leave a comment/kudos, I love hearing from you guys and it makes my day!


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